Fairgrove man pleads to charges

Published 8:00 pm, Wednesday, October 26, 2011

By STACY LANGLEY

Tribune Staff Writer

BAD AXE — The Fairgrove-area man who was charged with attempting to steal tires right off a vehicle at a local car dealership has changed his plea. Kenneth W. O’Neill appeared in Huron Count Circuit Court Monday afternoon at which time he changed his “not guilty” plea to a “guilty plea” to charges of operating while intoxicated, third offense, and attempted larceny stemming from a June 27 incident.

Huron County prosecutors charged O’Neill after he was caught in the act of attempting to steal tires off a vehicle at Moore Shoreline, a car dealership in Sebewaing.

In a plea agreement with the prosecutor’s office, a charge of fleeing and eluding police will be dismissed at the time of sentencing Dec. 12.

In addition to pleading guilty to two of the three charges, O’Neill must also pay full restitution in the case, and he agreed to testify truthfully against any co-defendants.

The charge of attempted larceny carries a possible penalty of up to five years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine. The charge of operating while intoxicated, third offense, carries a possible penalty of up to 2 1/2 years in prison plus a fine to be determined by the court.

When asked by Knoblock what he did that made him guilty of the crimes, O’Neill said he had been drinking vodka when he drove to Moore Shoreline and he tried to take a set of rims off a vehicle.

“The manager saw me. I proceeded to leave and was pulled over,” O’Neill said on Monday.

According to police reports of the incident, an employee of the car dealership called police around 8:30 p.m. June 27 to report a suspicious situation.

O’Neill initially reported to police he was trying to change a tire, but Huron County Prosecutor Timothy J. Rutkowski said police report he was attempting to take new tires off of a Buick LaCrosse in the car lot.

“Some of the lug nuts were found on the ground by the vehicle while others were loosened up,” said Rutkowski in an earlier interview with the Tribune.

The employee of the dealership not only called police to report the incident, but followed O’Neill when he left the dealership, giving Sebewaing Police the suspect’s whereabouts.

O’Neill was apprehended by police, however, it’s alleged he attempted to flee.

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While being questioned Monday afternoon by Rutkowski about the offense, O’Neill said he planned to steal the rims and sell them for cash.